Bloodgood Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum ‘Bloodgood’)

Last updated: November 3, 2026

Acer palmatum ‘Bloodgood’, the Bloodgood Japanese Maple, is one of the most widely planted red-leaved Japanese maple cultivars in North America. It grows as a small, upright, rounded tree with deeply lobed, five- to seven-pointed leaves that emerge a rich reddish-purple in spring and, unlike many red-leaf cultivars, generally hold that color through the heat of summer before turning brilliant scarlet in fall. Smooth gray bark and a tidy branching habit give it year-round structure even after the leaves drop.

Gardeners plant Bloodgood because it is dependable: it colors reliably in full sun, tolerates average garden conditions better than many fussier cultivars, and reaches a manageable size for a specimen or accent tree without decades of waiting. It has been a mainstay of the American nursery trade since the mid-20th century and remains a benchmark against which newer red Japanese maples are often compared.

Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) is not native to North America — it is native to Japan, Korea and eastern China — and Bloodgood is an introduced, cultivated selection of that species. It is not listed as a federal noxious weed, but in parts of the eastern United States, especially the Mid-Atlantic, seedlings of green-leaved and sometimes red-leaved Japanese maples occasionally escape cultivation and turn up in forest understories. Plant Bloodgood away from natural woodland edges, and pull any volunteer seedlings you find nearby; because it is a full-size, seed-fertile cultivar (not a dwarf or heavily weeping form), it can set a modest amount of viable seed.

Identification

Bloodgood is a single- or multi-trunked small tree with an upright, rounded-to-vase-shaped crown, typically wider than many other red cultivars at maturity, which helps distinguish it in the landscape once it reaches full size.

Bark & Stems

Young twigs are a muted reddish-brown, aging to smooth, gray-brown bark on the trunk and main limbs. The bark is noticeably less colorful than coral-bark cultivars such as ‘Sango-kaku‘, which is one way to tell Bloodgood apart from that cultivar in winter when both are leafless.

Leaves

Leaves are palmate with five to seven narrow, toothed lobes, 2 to 5 inches across, on reddish petioles. New growth in spring is a saturated reddish-purple; color can soften toward maroon-green in part shade but deepens again and holds well through summer in full sun, which is one of Bloodgood’s strongest selling points compared with cultivars that “green out” by July. Fall color is bright crimson to scarlet.

Flowers

Small, inconspicuous reddish-purple flowers appear in clusters in spring, usually hidden among the emerging leaves; they are wind- and insect-pollinated.

Fruit & Seeds

Flowers are followed by the typical maple samaras — paired, winged seeds, flushed red when young and turning brown and papery by fall. Bloodgood produces fertile seed, so volunteer seedlings can appear nearby; most will not come true to the parent’s deep red color.

Origin & Where It Grows

Acer palmatum, the species Bloodgood belongs to, is native to woodlands and mountain slopes of Japan, South Korea and parts of eastern China, where it grows as an understory and edge tree. It has been cultivated and selectively bred in Japan for centuries, producing hundreds of named cultivars, and was introduced to Western gardens in the 1800s.

‘Bloodgood’ itself is a 20th-century selection prized for combining strong red leaf color with better heat and sun tolerance than many older red cultivars; it became a leading nursery-trade red Japanese maple in the United States from the mid-1900s onward, and its exact origin story (the nursery or breeder who first selected and named it) is told differently by different sources, so take any single precise account with some caution.

In the U.S., Bloodgood performs best across USDA zones 5 through 8 — the Pacific Northwest, the mid-Atlantic, the Ohio Valley, and much of the Southeast with some afternoon shade. It struggles in the hottest, driest parts of zones 8b–9 without irrigation and afternoon protection, and needs winter cold protection or a sheltered microclimate at the cold edge of zone 5.

Growing & Care Guide

Light

Bloodgood colors best in full sun to light shade. In regions with intense summer heat, afternoon shade prevents leaf scorch while morning sun still supports good red color. In deep shade, leaves tend toward a muddier maroon-green.

Soil & Water

Give it rich, well-drained soil; Bloodgood does not tolerate wet feet, and heavy clay should be amended or the tree planted on a slight mound. Keep soil evenly moist the first two to three years while roots establish; mature trees handle short dry spells but look and perform best with regular water during drought.

Planting Tips

Plant in spring or fall, at the same depth as the nursery container, and mulch 2–3 inches deep (kept away from the trunk) to buffer soil temperature and moisture. Choose a site sheltered from strong, drying wind, which can scorch the thin leaves.

Pruning & Maintenance

Prune in late fall through winter dormancy to limit sap bleeding; remove dead, crossing or crowded branches to open the canopy and show off the branching structure. Avoid heavy summer pruning, which can stress the tree and trigger weak regrowth.

Propagation

Bloodgood is propagated by grafting onto seedling rootstock, which is how nurseries guarantee the deep red color and growth habit. Seedlings grown from Bloodgood’s own seed are variable and usually do not match the parent’s color or form, so buy grafted, named plants if you want true Bloodgood characteristics.

Landscape Uses

• Specimen or accent tree where its red foliage can stand out against a green backdrop or light-colored wall
• Patio and courtyard tree, since its moderate mature size fits smaller landscapes
• Large container planting on patios and decks, with winter protection for the roots in colder zones
• Companion planting with evergreens such as boxwood or dwarf conifers for year-round contrast
• Near entries and water features, where its form can be viewed from multiple sides

Wildlife & Ecological Value

Bloodgood supports some wildlife but offers far less ecological value than native maples such as red maple or sugar maple, which host large numbers of native moth and butterfly caterpillars. Its flowers draw a modest number of pollinating insects, and its seeds are eaten occasionally by squirrels and birds, but few native insect species are adapted to use Acer palmatum as a host plant. Use it for its ornamental qualities, not as a wildlife planting, and pair it with native trees and shrubs elsewhere on the property to support local food webs.

Native Alternatives

For gardeners who want a similar small-tree form, fine foliage texture, or red fall color from a plant native to North America, consider:

• Vine maple (Acer circinatum) — a Pacific Northwest native with a similarly graceful, multi-stemmed form and good fall color
• Red maple (Acer rubrum) — a widespread native with brilliant red fall color, though it grows much larger than Bloodgood
• Rocky Mountain maple (Acer glabrum) — a small native maple suited to western gardens
• Bigtooth maple (Acer grandidentatum) — a drought-tolerant native with strong orange-red fall color
• Fringetree (Chionanthus virginicus) — not a maple, but a native small flowering tree of similar scale for accent plantings

History & Uses

Acer palmatum has been cultivated in Japan for well over a thousand years, prized in gardens, bonsai and as the inspiration for countless named cultivars selected for leaf shape, color and habit. Red-leaved selections have long been among the most sought-after, since they provide season-long color rather than color only in fall.

Bloodgood rose to prominence in the American nursery trade in the latter half of the 20th century as growers and gardeners looked for a reliably red, sun-tolerant Japanese maple that performed well outside Japan’s more humid, temperate climate. Its combination of dependable color retention, manageable size and relative ease of culture made it a default choice at garden centers for decades, and it remains a common “gateway” cultivar for gardeners new to Japanese maples.

Beyond ornamental use, Bloodgood has no significant food, medicinal or commercial timber uses; its value is almost entirely as a landscape and container specimen.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Bloodgood Japanese maple native to the United States?
No. Acer palmatum is native to Japan, Korea and eastern China. Bloodgood is a cultivated selection of that introduced species, not a North American native plant.

How big does a Bloodgood Japanese maple get?
Most mature trees reach about 15 to 20 feet tall and wide, though some sources cite a smaller mature size closer to 12 to 15 feet; actual size depends on climate, soil and pruning.

Does Bloodgood Japanese maple need full sun?
It colors best in full sun to light shade. In hot-summer regions, afternoon shade helps prevent leaf scorch while the tree still holds good red color.

Why are my Bloodgood maple leaves turning green in summer?
Bloodgood generally holds its red color better than many cultivars, but too much shade, intense heat stress, or nutrient issues can cause leaves to look more muddy maroon-green. Morning sun with afternoon shade usually gives the best color without scorch.

Is Bloodgood Japanese maple invasive?
It is not on federal or most state noxious-weed lists, but as an introduced species it can set viable seed, and in parts of the eastern U.S. Japanese maple seedlings occasionally escape into wooded areas. Plant away from natural woodland edges and pull any volunteer seedlings you notice.